“I guess I got my swagger back. Truth.” Jay-Z and Kanye West, “Otis”, Watch the Throne, 2011.

On yesterday Jay-Z and Kanye West released their long-awaited collaboration called Watch the Throne.  I like it. Actually I like it a lot.  Yea there’s a lot of wealth storytelling on the album. And yea it was released on a day that the DOW dropped to 11,000.  So I decided to add a different spin.  Yesterday’s DDR, “Live Your Life”, led to a conversation with a very dear friend who is going through what they believe to be one of the most gloomy times of their life. When I saw this person I could just see the blanket of angst, worry, anger, and fear covering them. I felt compelled to ask how they were doing because in the year I’ve known this person I can say I’ve never seen them this down. We talked openly and honestly about how they felt about this situation that had been eating away at their heart for sometime now. Finally, they had reached that point where honesty about the situation, honesty about where they fit in that situation, and honesty about the future of that situation was the only way out of the situation. It was difficult. And the look on this person’s face only caused me to grow more and more empathetic because I’ve been there. We have all been there.  You know?  That place where we feel like things are falling apart. It’s hard to be focused and on-point during these times, isn’t it?  But I’ve learned that it is so much easier when we wield the power within to change our mindset. Freeing our mind so that the Universe can have room to flow good things our way is like unclogging a backed up toilet. Think about it. What happens when a toilet is clogged? The water bubbles up or raises to the top just before shit goes everywhere…literally. You’re left to find a plunger and clean up the mess. So how do we unclog or plunge the people, places, things, and ideas so that the flow starts again? First we have to see the beginning, middle, and end of the situation. Most of the time doing this will keep things from falling apart in the first place. The blessing is that the end phase is when God shows up and shows out. And this is where my friend is today. This is where many of you are today.

When we recognize the end is really the beginning the first thing is to speak truth into the Universe about what is really causing things to back up and fall apart. This is difficult because it forces us to look at ourselves, and come face-to-face with what we are doing to get in our own way. It forces is to do an accountability check, which prevents us from falling into the victim zone where pity parties are jumpin’ off day and night. Once this is done our minds are free to strategize. You are then able to focus more on the blessing of the new day and the new person that’s born out of life’s transitions.

The DDR: Today, I will pass to you what I passed to my friend. I can’t take credit for it because it is what was passed to me last November by my mentor. She said “Mark your life one year from today, and begin working towards that day.” Her point is that we have to move on from people, places, things, ideas, and old ways of doing things. And when we do it we must never look back! So whatever you are dealing with today – and I know you are no matter how much money, power, or respect you have or don’t have – decide to go forward. Don’t forget there’s a reason why you’ve moved on from it. Mark one year from today. If you decide to ask the Universe to unclog your pipes it will do so. WATCH THE THRONE!! And watch where you end up August 9, 2012! Keep faith Daily Dosers.